"Bandar Log, the nation of the monkey people, is inspired by Hindu myths, ancient India and Rudyard Kipling. The Vanara comes from the Ramayana, an epic in which the monkey people aid prince Rama in his struggle against the demon king Ravana. The hierarchical division of the different species of monkeys has parallels in the Hindu caste system. I wanted the Bandar to use the alleged colors of the Indo-Aryan castes: white for priests, red for nobles and black for commoners. Markatas are exempt from the hierarchy and society at large and might be seen as untouchables of earlier times, although I imagine them less vulnerable. Important to the development of the Bandar Log were the semi-divine beings of Hindu myth. With a slight breath of 2001: A Space Odyssey, the Yavanas and Devatas became lords of the monkey people." -Illwinter

The Bandar Log is an empire of primates who have evolved with uncanny intelligence. Once fostered by Yakshas and awed by Rakshasas, the rainforest realm is home to the warlike Bandar, the lanky Vanara, the chittering Markatas, and the quiet White Ones. When the caretakers and demons left, the Bandar took charge to form the next society; some already had governing experience as Rajas (kings) beneath the Rakshasas, but the chosen order is closer to that of the Yakshas.

There are three properly defined castes in the Bandar Log, drawn by racial or special lines, and two unofficial castes borne of lifestyle; these are roughly based on the varnas in Hinduism. The newest of these castes is that of the Vanara, who remained in their tribes in the previous age and reproduced bountifully; the urban Vanara wear black, the supposed color of the Shudra laborers, while the tribal Vanara name themselves "the Atavi" and wear no colors. The Markatas, while found in the urban centers and occasionally given jobs, also wear no colors; they appear based on the Dalits, written off from society. Above the black-wearing Vanara are the red-wearing Bandar, probably based on the Kshatriya warrior-governors since they set the rules in stone. Above everyone else are the White Ones, who are expected to wear white (the color of the Brahmin priests) and entrusted with all intellectual affairs. Such is the high status of the White Ones that they may break the caste conventions if they so choose, adding the colors of other castes to their outfits and assuming similar roles.

If you are considering picking this nation to play, what should you know?

summons, mounts, co-riders

The Bandar Log has all of Kailasa's summons, all of Lanka's summons, and a few others who will become recruits in Patala.

Summon Spell	Unit	Special Attributes	Comments
Herd of Elephants (Conjuration 3) 2 and 20	Elephant x 5+[1/2 lvl]	Animal Trample	Commentary here.
Summon Angiri (Conjuration 3) 2 and 5	Angiri x 5+[1/2 lvl]	Sacred Fire Resistance (15) Awe (1) Magic Being	Commentary here.
Summon Apsaras (Conjuration 3) 2 and 3	Apsara x 5+[1/2 lvl]	Sacred Awe (+4) Inspirational (1) Magic Being Female	Commentary here.
Ambush of Tigers (Conjuration 3) 2 and 9	Tiger x 15+	Darkvision (50%) Undisciplined Animal Forest Survival	Commentary here.
Herd of Buffaloes (Conjuration 3) 2 and 8	Buffalo x 5+[1/2 lvl]	Berserker (2) Animal Trample	Commentary here.
Summon Vidyadhara (Conjuration 4) 2 and 15	Vidyadhara	1211 Sacred Awe (+2) Magic Being Ethereal Flying Storm Immunity	Commentary here.
Contact Yaksha (Conjuration 4) 12 and 25	Yaksha	3111171100% 10% Sacred Awe (+1) Supply Bonus (10) Magic Being	Commentary here.
Contact Yakshini (Conjuration 4) 12 and 25	Yakshini	3111171100% 10% Sacred Cold Resistance (5) Supply Bonus (10) Magic Being Amphibious Female	Commentary here.
Summon Gandharvas (Conjuration 5) 2 and 15	Gandharva x 6	Sacred Awe (+2) Inspirational (1) Magic Being	Commentary here.
Summon Kimpurushas (Conjuration 5) 12 and 15	Kimpurusha	Sacred Darkvision (50%) Awe (+2) Magic Being Forest Survival	Commentary here.
Summon Garudas (Conjuration 6) 2 and 21	Garuda x 6	Sacred Poison Resistance (15) Awe (+2) Magic Being Flying	Commentary here.
Summon Maruts (Conjuration 6) 2 and 18	Marut x 3	Sacred Fire Resistance (15) Shock Resistance (15) Storm Power (1) Magic Being Flying Storm Immunity	Commentary here.
Summon Kinnara (Conjuration 6) 3 and 25	Kinnara	22213 Sacred Awe (+3) Inspirational (1) Magic Being Flying	Commentary here.
Summon Siddha (Conjuration 7) 4 and 35	Siddha	23315 Sacred Awe (+3) Ambidextrous (4) Magic Being Teleporter Spirit Sight	Commentary here.
Summon Devata (Conjuration 8) 5 and 45	Devata	32315 Sacred Shock Resistance (5) Awe (+5) Ambidextrous (5) Magic Being Spirit Sight	Commentary here.
Summon Devala (Conjuration 9) 5 and 55	Devala	3411 Sacred Awe (+4) Inspirational (1) Spreads Dominion (1) Magic Being Spirit Sight Female	Commentary here.
Summon Rudra (Conjuration 9) 5 and 55	Rudra	33313 Sacred Fire Resistance (20) Shock Resistance (20) Storm Power (2) Fear (+8) Ambidextrous (5) Forge Bonus (-5) Eyes 3 Magic Being Flying Storm Immunity Spirit Sight	Commentary here.

(missing a bunch of summons)

• Celestial Music (Thaumaturgy 6)
  3 for 1
  Commentary here.

• Headdress of the Bull (Construction 5)
  1 and 5
  Commentary here.
• Vajra (Construction 5)
  2 and 10
  Commentary here.

See Magic Access. These guides supplement the summaries at the top.

The Bandar Log has some of the narrowest and shallowest off-capital magic access in the entire game. It's worse than Ulm's, even. At least there's more Astral than Sceleria, and a wide variety of diversity summons for the lategame.

• No fire magic
• No air magic
• 1 on one-in-four Rishis (capital only)
• 1 on one-in-four Rishis (capital only)

• 4 on one-in-four Rishis (capital only), 2 off-capital
• No death magic
• 3 on one-in-four Rishis (capital only), 1 off-capital
• No glamour magic

• No blood magic
• 1 on Brahmins

(for Kailasa)

No recruitable access. 5 can Summon Rudra, which has 3.

No recruitable access. 41 can cast Faerie Court in Cold and have a 1 in 2 chance of 2. It can also cast Faerie Court not in Cold and have a 1 in 3 chance of 2.

2 can Summon Vidyadhara, which has 1.

3 can Summon Kinnara, which has 2.

4 can Summon Siddha, which has 2.

5 can Summon Devata, Summon Devala, or Summon Rudra, all of which have 3.

4 Yakshini (~1 in 5) starts high up in Water.

4 Yaksha (~1 in 5), with a Nature booster, can create The Tome of Gaia.

Ascending Astral with EA Kailasa while minimizing empowerment is complicated. Between a 2 Guru and a 1 Yaksha (1 in 5), they can create a variety of boosters and work their way up the path. The Guru can make a Starshine Skullcap and then the unique Dimensional Rod. Without the Dimensional Rod, empowerment is necessary on the Yaksha to get the Coin of Meteoritic Iron. Glamour boosters may help the Yaksha create the unique The Trapped Dreams of Hruvur. Similar with Earth and the unique Atlas of Creation.

EA Kailasa can't easily forge The Copper Arm or Abominable Arms.

No recruitable access. 41 can cast Faerie Court in Cold and have a 1 in 2 chance of 2. Also, Summon Fay Prince in Cold to get 1.

3 can cast Forest Troll Tribe to get at least 1.

5 can Summon Rudra, which has 3.

2 Yaksha (1 in 5) can get the unique The Tome of Gaia. With two Nature boosters, an Astral Yaksha can forge a Moonvine Bracelet.

EA Kailasa can't easily forge The Copper Arm or Abominable Arms.

You can't recruit any, but roughly half of your Rishis can summon 1 mages (with a chance of 2 mages).

2 Yaksha (1 in 5) will need to be empowered to 3 to get a Gossamer Veil and a Mirage Crystal. With enough Glamour and Astral boosters on a different, Astral random Yaksha, it can create the unique The Trapped Dreams of Hruvur.

No native access. 5 for Awaken Treelord gives a 1 in 3 chance of 1.

How to win as the nation. Feel free to use the following sections, or delete them, or change them.

Different expansion options.

Early game options.

Mid game options.

Late game options.

What are the nation's weaknesses?

Add links to guides or other overviews for this nation here.

Nations
Early Ages	Arcoscephale • Ermor • Ulm • Pyrène, • Marverni • Sauromatia • T'ien Ch'i • Machaka • Mictlan • Abysia • Caelum • C'tis • Pangaea • Agartha • Tir na n'Og • Fomoria • Vanheim • Helheim • Niefelheim • Muspelheim • Rus • Kailasa • Lanka • Yomi • Hinnom • Ur • Berytos • Xibalba • Mekone • Ubar • Atlantis • R'lyeh • Pelagia • Oceania • Therodos
Middle Ages	Arcoscephale • Ermor • Sceleria • Pythium • Man • Eriu • Ulm • Pyrène • Marignon • Mictlan • T'ien Ch'i • Machaka • Agartha • Abysia • Caelum • C'tis • Pangaea • Asphodel • Vanheim • Jotunheim • Nidavangr • Vanarus • Bandar Log • Shinuyama • Ashdod • Uruk • Nazca • Xibalba • Phlegra • Phaeacia • Ind • Na'ba • Atlantis • R'lyeh • Pelagia • Oceania • Ys
Late Ages	Arcoscephale • Pythium • Lemuria • Man • Ulm • Marignon • Mictlan • T'ien Ch'i • Jomon • Agartha • Abysia • Caelum • C'tis • Pangaea • Midgård • Utgård • Bogarus • Patala • Gath • Ragha • Xibalba • Phlegra • Vaettiheim • Feminie • Piconye • Andramania • Atlantis • R'lyeh • Erytheia